Salmonella Infection Linked To Dry Dog Food
Posted on Thursday, 15 of May , 2008 at 7:43 pm
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have revealed a strong link of Salmonella infection to dry dog food.
Officials have documented 70 cases of salmonella poisoning in 19 states, most in the northeast, that were traced back to contaminated dry dog food. People became sick after handling the pet food, which originated at the Mars Petcare manufacturing plant in Pennsylvania.
About 40 percent of the infection involved infants. Eleven people were hospitalized. No deaths were reported and no pets were reported ill. The report says the first documented salmonella outbreaks were recorded in 2006 and 2007. Cases were reported in Pennsylvania (29), New York (9) and Ohio (7). There were also reported cases in Alabama, California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Carolina and Virginia.
It’s unknown how the Salmonella bacteria got into the dog food. The traces of contaminated dry food were found in the feces of pets. Salmonella was also found in open and unopened bags of dog food manufactured at the Pennsylvania plant. The CDC traced the salmonella back to the pet food plant in Pennsylvania, which shut down from July to November 2007 for cleaning and disinfection.
The report was published in the May 16 issue of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5719a4.htm
Most Salmonella infections are acquired by handling or consuming contaminated food products, particularly foods of animal origin. Infections also are acquired by direct and indirect contact with farm animals, reptiles, and occasionally pets.
Investigations are ongoing to determine how persons might acquire Salmonella infections from dry pet food. Factors under review include the handling and storage of dry pet food, hand-washing practices, exposure of children to dry pet food, and location in the home where pets are fed. Although a specific source of contamination for the pet food from plant A was not identified, the plant equipment might have been contaminated, or contaminated ingredients might have been delivered to plant A. Dry pet foods typically are extruded, and production includes heat treatment, but the extruded food also is spray-coated with a taste enhancer, usually an animal fat.
Infection with the Salmonella bacteria produces an illness called salmonellosis.
According to the CDC, most infected people develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps within 12 to 72 hours. The illness typically lasts four to seven days, and most people recover without treatment. But, for some, the diarrhea may be so severe that they need to be hospitalized. In these patients, the infection can spread from the intestines to the blood stream, and then to other parts of the body, leading to death unless antibiotics are administered promptly. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness.
To prevent infection, the CDC recommends washing your hands immediately after handling any dry dog food, any other pet food, pet treats, even supplements or vitamins, keep infants away from pet feeding areas and don’t let kids younger than five touch or eat pet food, pet treats or pet supplements.
For more on salmonella, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 5-15-08
Category: Animals, Business, Consumers, Government, Health, Nationwide
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